I’m on the verge of completing an upcycling project: this patchwork skirt of neutrals with “more.”
The skirt features underused fabric from two thrifted polyester skirts, one thrifted rayon dress, and my fabric stash (a lightweight cotton, I think, but I haven’t done a burn test). See here:
The two skirts were midi/tea length, and I didn’t wear them much. The rayon dress was acquired for the purpose of harvesting its fabric; the bodice didn’t fit great, but I liked the print.
This spring I discovered Aussie sewing YouTuber From Carly B, who creates patchwork garments. I’ve been thinking about fabric waste and upcycling in recent months, looking for opportunities to makeover ignored wardrobe items that don’t reflect my current style. So, that’s how we arrived at this skirt experiment.
I’m not done. I’m adding a second patchworked tier ABOVE the level pictured here. These fabrics all are lightweight and kinda-sorta floofy, so I thought it would be fun to pump up the fullness with gathers and layers. Plus, I think the silhouette will be girly and playful. My vibe as of late has been “kindergartener with money” or “I want compliments from children” or “buoyant man repeller.”
Basically, I prioritize moments of levity in my dress. My collection of wacky statement necklaces is ever expanding, and I just found out about Parrot Pearls/Ruby Z/Flying Colors ceramic jewelry. Christmas list activated!
Anyhoodle, I’ll chat more about skirt construction and technique soon.